Expanding access to magnetic resonance education through open-source web tutorials.

This study presents a tool that introduces the fundamental concepts of magnetic resonance (MR) by integrating related science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematical (STEAM) topics in the form of games to improve the access to MR education.

Effects of game-based physical education program on enjoyment in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review to summarize and assess the advancements lately made on the enjoyable impacts of game-based physical education interventions on children and adolescents. Additionally, it attempted to identify the effects and variables influencing the enjoyable outcomes of children and adolescents' engagement in physical education games, through meta-analysis. METHODS: This study involves a comprehensive search of different databases like Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, EBSCOhost, Cochrane, and Scopus. Specific criteria are established for the selection process to make sure the relevant literature included. The quality assessment of the included researches is conducted based on the guidelines outlined in the Cochrane 5.1 handbook. Review Manager 5.3 software is employed to synthesis the effect sizes. Additionally, bias is assessed using funnel plots, and to identify potential sources of heterogeneity, subgroup analyses are performed. RESULTS: A total of 1907 academic papers, out of which 2 articles were identified via other data sources. The present study examined the impact of a pedagogical intervention involving physical education games on the enjoyment experienced by children and adolescents. The results indicated a significant positive effect (MD = 0.53, 95%CI:[0.27,0.79], P < 0.05) of this intervention on enjoyment. Subgroup analyses further revealed that both boys (MD = 0.31, 95%CI:[0.13,0.50], P < 0.05) and girls (MD = 0.28, 95%CI:[0.05,0.51], P < 0.05) experienced increased pleasure compared to traditional physical education. Additionally, children under 12 years of age (MD = 0.41, 95%CI:[0.17,0.64], P < 0.05) benefited from sessions lasting at least 30 minutes or more per session (MD = 0.40, 95%CI:[0.19,0.60], P < 0.05), occurring 1 to 3 times per week (MD = 0.28, 95%CI:[0.16,0.40], P < 0.05), and lasting for more than 3 weeks (MD = 0.81, 95%CI:[0.29,1.34], P < 0.05). These findings suggest that the implementation of physical education games can be an effective approach to teaching this subject. CONCLUSIONS: 1) Interventions using physical games have been shown to yield beneficial outcomes in terms of enhancing the enjoyment experienced by children and adolescents. 2) The effectiveness of treatments aimed at promoting enjoyment among children and adolescents is influenced by several aspects, including gender, age, duration and frequency of physical activity, as well as the specific cycle of activity used.

Myoelectric interface for neurorehabilitation conditioning to reduce abnormal leg co-activation after stroke: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The ability to walk is an important factor in quality of life after stroke. Co-activation of hip adductors and knee extensors has been shown to correlate with gait impairment. We have shown previously that training with a myoelectric interface for neurorehabilitation (MINT) can reduce abnormal muscle co-activation in the arms of stroke survivors. METHODS: Here, we extend MINT conditioning to stroke survivors with leg impairment. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the safety and feasibility of using MINT to reduce abnormal co-activation between hip adductors and knee extensors and assess any effects on gait. Nine stroke survivors with moderate to severe gait impairment received 6 h of MINT conditioning over six sessions, either in the laboratory or at home. RESULTS: MINT participants completed a mean of 159 repetitions per session without any adverse events. Further, participants learned to isolate their muscles effectively, resulting in a mean reduction of co-activation of 70% compared to baseline. Moreover, gait speed increased by a mean of 0.15 m/s, more than the minimum clinically important difference. Knee flexion angle increased substantially, and hip circumduction decreased. CONCLUSION: MINT conditioning is safe, feasible at home, and enables reduction of co-activation in the leg. Further investigation of MINT's potential to improve leg movement and function after stroke is warranted. Abnormal co-activation of hip adductors and knee extensors may contribute to impaired gait after stroke. Trial registration This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03401762, Registered 15 January 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03401762?tab=history&a=4 ).

"CARBGAME" (CARd & Board GAmes in Medical Education): a gamification innovation to foster active learning in biochemistry for medical students.

Diving into the realm of game-based learning, the "CARBGAME"(CARd & Board GAmes in Medical Education) is an innovative series of games that reimagines the way medical students learn complex but essential chapters. In the pilot study, there was a highly significant improvement in the academic performance of students in the chapter "Vitamins." All the students perceived CARBGAME to be highly rewarding in terms of creating engaging and meaningful learning experiences. Recognizing the benefit of games in medical education, we strongly recommend the implementation of CARBGAME for essential topics in physiology education to create a more dynamic and engaging learning environment for students.NEW & NOTEWORTHY "CARBGAME" (CARd & Board GAmes in Medical Education) creates a unique and fun-filled educational environment where students learn complex but essential medical chapters in a gamified manner using cards and boards. This customizable innovation is strengthened with fundamental educational principles to promote engaging and meaningful learning experiences for students.

"Aquilibria: The battle to balance"-a narrative card and board game on acid-base regulation for first-year medical students.

Recognizing the growing value of game-based learning in medical education, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the innovation, "Aquilibria: The Battle to Balance," a creative narrative card and board game to help improve learners' understanding and application of the concepts of acid-base balance. In this mixed-method study, 120 first-year medical students participated. The innovation employed a card and board style integrated with a captivating story. Students were divided into small groups of six each with a facilitator. Following this, the posttest was conducted to compare the educational gain. Also, students' perceptions about the game were obtained using a 32-item questionnaire on a 5-point Likert scale. In addition to this, the confidence level among students to understand and interpret the concepts of acid-base regulation before and after the game was obtained using a 10-item questionnaire on a 5-point Likert scale. Furthermore, for qualitative data, short interviews with open-ended questions were conducted and thematic analysis was performed. The results showed a highly significant improvement in academic performance from a pretest score of 7.57 ± 1.07 (means ± SD) to 16.14 ± 1.80 in the posttest with a P value of <0.0001. There was a notable increase in confidence among learners after the game, and highly positive student feedback was received. These findings support the growing recognition of narrative game-based learning as a valuable and engaging strategy in medical education, offering a promising avenue for fostering deeper understanding and retention of complex medical concepts.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This innovation is a captivating blend of storytelling, cards, and board gameplay to facilitate the learning of acid-base regulation. This engaging game offers a wealth of questions and diverse case scenarios, allowing learners to repeatedly explore and grasp the intricacies of acid-base balance. What sets this game apart is its robust assessment strategy, supported by overwhelmingly positive feedback and marked academic improvement. This innovation is a must-have for students seeking a dynamic and effective learning experience.

"Pharmacotrophy": a playful tournament for game- and team-based learning in pharmacology education - assessing its impact on students' performance.

BACKGROUND: At the Faculty of Pharmacy of Paris, we conducted a pharmacology tournament in 2021 and 2022, named "Pharmacotrophy", to offer a game-, team- and competitive-based learning innovation based on fun and challenge. This article aims to (1) provide a detailed overview of the organisation of "Pharmacotrophy," (2) present and compare feedback from both students and teachers, and (3) assess the impact of student participation on their exam marks. METHODS: "Pharmacotrophy" took place in 2021 and 2022 over a two-week period at the beginning of the exam revision phase. It involved a combination of remote matches using the online quiz creation tool Kahoot!® and in-person matches. Teams, consisting of three students from the 4th or 5th year, participated in several selection rounds leading up to the final match. The questions covered various topics from the pharmacology curriculum. Using an anonymous online survey, we collected the feedback from students and teacher regarding the organisation of the tournament and the interest and difficulty of the different type of questions. We retrospectively compared the exam marks of 4th year students who took part in "Pharmacotrophy" (n2021 = 19 and n2022 = 20) with those of the rest of the 4th year (n2021 = 315-320 and n2022 = 279-281), both in the year before "Pharmacotrophy" and just after the tournament. RESULTS: Students highlighted the educational benefits of team-based and game-based learning. This novel approach positively and constructively motivated students to review pharmacology. Additionally, students appreciated the establishment of a trust-based relationship with their teachers. All students had a similar pharmacology level based on their exam results in the year before "Pharmacotrophy." After the tournament, participants had marks 20.1% higher in pharmacology questions compared to non-participants (p = 0.02), while they had comparable overall levels, as evidenced by their final grade averages and marks in non-pharmacology questions. Moreover, participants who advanced further in the competition achieved higher marks in pharmacology questions compared to those who were eliminated early in the tournament. CONCLUSION: The implementation of "Pharmacotrophy" provided students with an enjoyable way to review pharmacology coursework and revived the interest in pharmacology for some. Specifically, participating in "Pharmacotrophy" led to an increase in pharmacology marks for students who were not among the top performers in the class or did not excel in pharmacology in the previous year. This study quantified the pedagogical value of this innovative curriculum in terms of knowledge acquisition.

Impact of a game-based interprofessional education program on medical students' perceptions: a text network analysis using essays.

BACKGROUND: The increasing complexity of the healthcare environment and the necessity of multidisciplinary teamwork have highlighted the importance of interprofessional education (IPE). IPE aims to enhance the quality of patient care through collaborative education involving various healthcare professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. This study sought to analyze how game-based IPE activities influence students' perceptions and reflective thinking. It also aimed to identify the shifts in perception and effectiveness caused by this educational approach. METHODS: The study is based on a game-based IPE program conducted at University A, involving medical and nursing students in structured learning and team-based activities. Data were collected using essays written by the students after they had participated in IPE activities. Text network analysis was conducted by extracting key terms, performing centrality analysis, and visualizing topic modeling to identify changes in students' perceptions and reflective thinking. RESULTS: Keywords such as "patient," "thought," "group," "doctor," "nurse," and "communication" played a crucial role in the network, indicating that students prioritized enhancing their communication and problem-solving skills within the educational environment. The topic modeling results identified three main topics, each demonstrating the positive influence of game-based collaborative activities, interprofessional perspectives, and interdisciplinary educational experiences on students. Topic 3 (interdisciplinary educational experience) acted as a significant mediator connecting Topic 1 (game-based collaborative activity experience) and Topic 2 (interprofessional perspectives). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that game-based IPE activities are an effective educational approach for enhancing students' team building skills, particularly communication and interprofessional perspectives. Based on these findings, future IPE programs should focus on creating collaborative learning environments, strengthening communication skills, and promoting interdisciplinary education. The findings provide essential insights for educational designers and medical educators to enhance the effectiveness of IPE programs. Future research should assess the long-term impacts of game-based IPE on clinical practice, patient outcomes, and participants' professional development.

Integrated Quantitative Evaluation of Spatial Cognition and Motor Function with HoloLens Mixed Reality.

The steady increase in the aging population worldwide is expected to cause a shortage of doctors and therapists for older people. This demographic shift requires more efficient and automated systems for rehabilitation and physical ability evaluations. Rehabilitation using mixed reality (MR) technology has attracted much attention in recent years. MR displays virtual objects on a head-mounted see-through display that overlies the user's field of vision and allows users to manipulate them as if they exist in reality. However, tasks in previous studies applying MR to rehabilitation have been limited to tasks in which the virtual objects are static and do not interact dynamically with the surrounding environment. Therefore, in this study, we developed an application to evaluate cognitive and motor functions with the aim of realizing a rehabilitation system that is dynamic and has interaction with the surrounding environment using MR technology. The developed application enabled effective evaluation of the user's spatial cognitive ability, task skillfulness, motor function, and decision-making ability. The results indicate the usefulness and feasibility of MR technology to quantify motor function and spatial cognition both for static and dynamic tasks in rehabilitation.

What do recently housed young people imagine for the future of third places? Using game-based inquiry to (re)imagine affirming, youth-centered third places.

Third places-public and community settings like parks and libraries-are theorized to serve as sources of social connection, community, and play. Yet, young people who hold marginalized identities, such as those experiencing homelessness and housing instability, often endure discrimination in third place settings. This study used game-based inquiry to partner with recently housed young people who have experienced chronic housing instability (N = 21) to understand how they would (re)imagine future third places. We then analyzed transcripts from these game sessions through qualitative thematic analysis. Participants suggested that certain tenets must be present in third places: they must offer opportunities for agency and individualization; they must meet everyday needs; and they must be explicitly inclusive. To actualize these tenets, participants imagined places that meet many needs and do many things; portable and adaptable physical spaces; freedom to choose how to play; attending to and subverting oppressive social hierarchies; providing choice for privacy or connection; knowing people will be around; and free amenities. These findings have implications for theoretical development, practices in present and future third places, and methodological development of games in research.

[Concept and implementation of an adaptive digital hearing training system for cochlear implant aftercare]. / Konzept und Umsetzung eines adaptiven digitalen Hörtrainingssystems für die Cochlea-Implantatnachsorge.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Within the context of an interdisciplinary research project, we created a cutting-edge prototype of an adaptive digital auditory training system designed for cochlear implant (CI) users. By leveraging the evidence-centered design (ECD) framework, we integrated a dynamic difficulty adjustment feature that tailors the experience to the unique performance capabilities of each individual user. METHODS: The ECD provides a conceptual design framework suitable for complex assessments of competence and dynamic performance. In the first phase, the domain of hearing was first defined in the context of CI users. In the development phase the three core models of the ECD, the competence model, the evidence model, and the task model, were developed and implemented. In addition, an asset pool of sound and language files was created, which included comprehensive linguistic feature descriptions for calculating item difficulties. RESULTS: Based on the requirements described, an adaptive exercise generator, an AI service, and other components were implemented. This included the development of a game environment and a dashboard for patient data management. The exercises' difficulty levels were determined based on various parameters (e.g., sound, word frequency and number of words, grammatical properties) in combination with defined task types and levels. CONCLUSION: An adaptive digital auditory training system can help to supervise and train CI patients in a continuous, interactive process based on their individual needs. We see the ECD as an effective way to build a user-based adaptive system.

[Gamification and Game-Based Learning in Nursing Education].

With the recent rapid changes in the medical environment and technology, traditional teaching methods are no longer sufficient to meet current professional needs. There is an increasing demand for emerging technologies in higher education, necessitating more interactive and personalized educational approaches. Hence, educators are exploring innovative teaching interventions, including digital simulations and gamified learning, to enhance motivation and engagement in learning. In this article, the concept and core elements of gamified learning are introduced and related methods applicable to nursing education such as digital simulations, virtual reality, tabletop games, and escape rooms are described. In addition, gamification teaching techniques that enhance student learning motivation as well as improve learning outcomes in theory and practice are discussed. Gamified learning enables nursing students to practice in rich and diverse interactive simulated environments. Using appropriate teaching strategies, the gamified approach to learning can strengthen critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and communication confidence in students. Designing game mechanisms and methods that align with educational objectives and mastering the key principles of gamified teaching is an effective approach to diversifying and enhancing the effectiveness of learning activities in the classroom.

[New Horizons for Clinical Practice and Competence: Applying Game-Based Learning in Nursing Education].

Game-based teaching strategies enrich nursing education by enhancing the appeal and practicality of teaching activities. Different from the high-pressure and serious nature of traditional nursing education, interactive and entertaining teaching strategies that employ board games, card games, escape rooms, virtual reality, scratch cards, Kahoot quiz competitions, and other innovative methods better motivate learners to engage actively with learning content and retain nursing knowledge and practices, resulting in better learning outcomes. Game-based teaching strategies not only strengthen learners' mastery of core nursing concepts but also enhance their decision-making and critical-thinking abilities. In this article, practical applications of game-based teaching are introduced, in hopes that, by applying these instructional approaches, educators can alleviate the stress of the learning process and make learning more efficient and enjoyable for students.

[The Diverse Development and Clinical Application of Game-Based Learning].

The effectiveness of game-based learning strategies lies in the ability of these strategies to engage learners and enhance their motivation to learn. This is particularly important for today's younger generations, which are known to respond better to visual rather than textual information. Gamified education provides stimulating, realistic, and enjoyable learning experiences, helping students understand complex nursing knowledge and skills. The diversity of game-based learning tools, including based board games, escape room games, digital games, simulation games, mobile serious games, and virtual reality games, not only enhances students' learning effectiveness and skills but also improves their problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and ability to cope with various challenges in clinical care. In general, game-based learning is a strategy with great potential and importance. This strategy not only has profound implications for modern nursing education and clinical practice but also, through its promotion of innovative thinking and diversified applications, can effectively promote the learning motivation of nursing professionals, improve teaching effectiveness, and enhance professional abilities and self-directed learning capabilities. In an era in which medical knowledge is constantly evolving, game-based learning should be promoted and utilized to cultivate nursing professionals' capabilities effectively.

Researchers' Theater: Enhancing Student Engagement in an Introductory Research Course.

Research coursework can be challenging for occupational therapy students, thus potentially compromising their engagement in learning. A student engagement framework was used to design and implement an innovative assignment called Researchers' Theater with a cohort of 38 first-semester occupational therapy students. At the beginning of each class, a small group of students led a creative activity to review topics from the preceding week. Student feedback survey results and instructors' observations suggest this framework contributed to students' affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement. Findings also highlight the potential value of student-led, game-based learning for reinforcing course content.

The Development of Spatial Cognition and Its Malleability Assessed in Mass Population via a Mobile Game.

Spatial cognition is a fundamental aspect of human intelligence, but our understanding of its developmental trajectory across the life span is limited. Here, we applied game-based assessment on mobile devices to engage a large sample from China (N = 216,713) with a wide age range (from under 10 years old to above 60) in multiple participations of a mental rotation task, a typical measure of spatial cognition. We found that spatial ability developed asynchronously with its malleability. Whereas mental rotation performance peaked at the age of 28, with males performing better than females, the effect of training from repeated participation peaked at 18, probably laying the foundation for the development of spatial ability. In contrast, children showed particularly low malleability, and a follow-up experiment revealed that the underdeveloped ability of mirror-image discrimination likely hindered the malleability of spatial cognition during this period. The intermingled relation of ability and malleability illustrates dynamics in the development of spatial cognition, inviting broad research on the development of other cognitive functions.

Compliance With In-Home Self-Managed Rehabilitation Post-Stroke is Largely Independent of Scheduling Approach.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate how participants self-schedule their engagement with domestic rehabilitation gaming platform, and how their scheduling behavior in turn influence overall compliance. DESIGN: Cohort of individuals randomized to receive in-home rehabilitation gaming during a multi-site randomized controlled trial. SETTING: In-home self-managed rehabilitation. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty community-dwelling participants who were >6 months post-stroke and had mild to moderate upper extremity impairment (N=80). INTERVENTIONS: Participants were prescribed 15 hours of independent in-home self-scheduled game play for upper extremity mobility over 3 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total number of hours of active game play was objectively measured by the rehabilitation gaming system. Cluster analysis identified scheduling patterns from the following scheduling characteristics: total number of sessions, average session length, and consistency of play schedule. RESULTS: Four distinct scheduling profiles were revealed, 3 of which were associated with complete or near-complete compliance, while a fourth (inconsistent schedule of short, infrequent sessions) was associated with very poor compliance. Poor compliance could be predicted within the first 7 days of the program with 78% accuracy based on the same play pattern metrics used to identify player profiles. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support client autonomy in selecting the home practice schedule that works best for them, as compliance can successfully be achieved through a variety of different scheduling patterns. The objective measurements of compliance provided through rehabilitation gaming can assist therapists to identify individuals early on who exhibit scheduling behavior that is predictive of poor compliance.

Game-based learning as training to use a chemotherapy preparation robot.

INTRODUCTION: In 2015, our university hospital pharmacy acquired the PharmaHelp robot system to automate part of its chemotherapy production. Complex technical use, downtime periods, and insufficient training caused a drop in motivation and disparities in operators' knowledge. We created a short, playful, standardized, gamed-based training program to address this, and evaluated its impact. METHODS: Operators were classified as trainers or trainees according to their knowledge about Information and Communication Technologies. Before, after the training, and at 6 months (6M), their robot knowledge was assessed on a 0-24-scale, motivation and self-efficacy in using it on 0-to-100 scales. Pairwise comparison t-test with Bonferroni adjustment was used (p < 0.05 considered significant). Satisfaction was measured using a six-point Likert scale. Trainer/trainee teams participated in 2-hour training sessions with three games and a debriefing. For "Knowing the manufacturing steps," cards with the steps were placed in the correct order. For "Knowing the criteria for using the robot," teams guessed whether certain compounds could be used with the robot. For "Knowing how to handle production errors," the answer to each error (taken from real-life issues) was selected from four options. RESULTS: Participants (n = 14) were very satisfied about sessions' interactivity and playfulness. Knowledge improved from 57% pretraining to 77% (p < 0.005) to 76.6% (6M) (p < 0.05 compared to pretraining). Motivation and self-efficacy, respectively, improved from 57.6% to 86.6% (p < 0.05) to 70.4% (6M) and from 48.5% to 75.6% (p < 0.05) to 60.2% (6M) (p > 0.1 compared to pretraining) (t-test). CONCLUSIONS: This highly appreciated training program efficiently improved knowledge retention out to six months.

Flashcards: The Preferred Online Game-Based Study Tool Self-Selected by Students to Review Medical Histology Image Content.

Medical students use several supplementary digital resources to support learning. Majority of these supplementary resources enhance learning by recall and repetition. A few examples of these resources are concept maps, flashcards (FCs), and self-testing tools. Traditionally, paper-based FCs are used in higher education. The concept of paper-based FCs is extended to the digital world in the form of electronic/web-based FCs. The use of electronic/digital flashcards has been reported to review course material in the medical school curriculum. Some of the medical school coursework requires students to acquire visual skills, for example, histology and pathology. Students, who do not have prior knowledge of the basic content on histology and pathology struggle to identify microscopic tissues and organs. Therefore, students look for other supplementary resources to support visual learning. Digital resources like Anki, Quizlet, and Osmosis provide study tools that support visual skills. A review of the literature revealed only a few publications pertaining to the use of digital testing tools for histology education in medical school curriculum. In the medical histology course at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (Einstein), Bronx, NY, first-year medical students used a game-based platform (Quizlet) to review image-based histology course content in the form of four Quizlet study sets. Students chose from six Quizlet study tools (Flashcards, Learn, Speller, Test, Match, and Race/Gravity) to review the image-based course material and test their knowledge on accurate identification of histological images. The data on student usage of study tools was tracked and analyzed for 4 years (Graduating Classes of 2018 to 2021) to calculate: the total usage of the game-based study tools (Flashcards, Learn, Speller, Test, Match, and Race/Gravity) over the period of 4 years, total percent usage over 4 years of each game-based study tools (Flashcards, Learn, Speller, Test, Match, and Race/Gravity) in each of the four Quizlet study sets and to identify the preferred game-based study tool. The data showed a consistent year-on-year increase in usage of game-based study tools by 50% (M = 445 in 2018 compared to M = 849 in 2021). For the four Quizlet study sets the percent usage of each study tool Flashcards, Learn, Test, Match, Gravity, and Speller was tracked and combined across the four academic years. It was found that Flashcards were used significantly more frequently than any other tool and this was followed by Learn, Test, Match, Gravity, and Speller (p < 0.0001 using chi-square). The study concludes that flashcards are the preferred study tool used by students to acquire visual skills for identifying histological images and could be incorporated when designing online study tools.

Feasibility of a combined intermittent theta-burst stimulation and video game-based dexterity training in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) often exhibit difficulties with dexterity during the performance of activities of daily living (ADL), inter alia due to dysfunctional supplementary motor area (SMA). Combined intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) over the SMA followed by video game-based training (VBT) may therefore improve dexterity related ADL. The VBT may induce high flow levels related to high performance during the training. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of a combined iTBS-VBT intervention in persons with PD. METHODS: A total of nine persons with PD (mean age 63.3 ± 8.76 years) with self-reported difficulties with dexterity related ADL were included in this pilot iTBS-VBT study. All participants received either iTBS or sham stimulation over the SMA followed by a 45-min VBT, three times a week for a total of three weeks. Feasibility was measured by means of the adherence rate and the system usability (System Usability Scale). Moreover, flow was measured after the last VBT session. RESULTS: Adherence rate was excellent with 100%. High system usability scores (i.e., mean 80%, range 55-97.5) and a significant Spearman's correlation with the Flow State Scale (r = .762, p = .017) further point to the high feasibility of the VBT. Neither demographic variables nor difficulties in dexterity related ADL affected the usability of the VBT. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the high feasibility of a combined iTBS-VBT intervention. Moreover, the level of self-reported usability was related to flow experience. Whether this kind of combined iTBS-VBT intervention improves dexterity will be evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. Trial registration clincaltrials.gov NCT04699149, date of registration 1. June 2021.

Evaluation of registered nurses' interprofessional emergency care competence through the gamification of cardiopulmonary resuscitation training: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUNDS: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training is generally led by instructors in a classroom; thus, conventional teaching materials used in CPR training are often constrained by spatiotemporal factors, limiting learners' interest and sense of achievement in learning and preventing them from effectively applying what they learn in practice. For greater effectiveness and more flexible application, clinical nursing education has increasingly emphasized contextualization, individualization, and interprofessional learning. This study determined the self-assessed emergency care competencies of nurses who received gamified emergency care training and explored the factors associated with those competencies. METHODS: Quota sampling of nurses working at a certain regional hospital in central Taiwan was conducted, and a structured questionnaire was administered to the recruited nurses. A total of 194 valid responses were collected. The research tool was a scale measuring the participants' emergency care competencies after they received gamified emergency care training. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and multiple regression. RESULTS: Of the recruited participants, 50.52% were ≤ 30 years old; 48.45% worked in the internal medicine department; 54.64% graduated from 2-year university technical programs; 54.12% were N2 registered nurses; 35.57% and 21.13% had ≥ 10 and 1-3 years of work experience, respectively; and 48.45% worked in general wards. User need (r = 0.52, p = 0.000), perceived usefulness (r = 0.54, p = 0.000), perceived ease of use (r = 0.51, p = 0.000), and usage attitude (r = 0.41, p = 0.000) were positively correlated with emergency care competencies. Furthermore, the multiple regression analysis revealed that perceived usefulness was the primary factor associated with the participants' emergency care competencies. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study may serve as a reference for acute care facility authorities in designing advanced nursing competency standards and emergency care training programs for nurses.